PKRA Cabarete: Sunday, July 1st: Kiteboarding "Champignons:" Bruna wins the Freestyle Event, Alvaro wins the Board-Offs!

Posted Wednesday July 4th 2007, by Stacey Fonas

Due to various camera issues ... video camera not working, Rebel filled with sand and unable to focus, borrowed camera running out of batteries ... I'm a bit late with this post, and with his usual Afrikan zeal, Chiche Arimbe has already beaten me to the punch, broadcasting the final results of the PKRA Cabarete to the Best-News-Reading public, namely:

Bruna Kajiya - 1st in Freestyle, 2nd in Board-Off, and tied for 1st in the overall standings

... and ...

Alvaro Onieva - 2nd in Freestyle, 1st in Board-Off, Winner of the Spirit Award, 3rd in the overall standings

The judge's tower, in other words: where the magic happens

Sunday 30 June

It didn't look like there was going to be enough wind to run the final re-match between Gisela and Bruna, so everyone just hung out and tried to stay cool.

Alvaro was still trying to win the Twins Model Search. He and Rui Meira nailed it ...

...although Lilo from LEK, with his hair-twin, the Vase-Shadow, gave him a good run for his money.

When the wind finally came up around 3:30, it was pretty light, just enough for Bruna to be ok-powered on her 11 (the biggest kite she ever rides). It looked like Gisela was a little underpowered, and although her dad was standing there with a bigger kite, waiting to pass it off to her, she finished the heat on the kite with which she started. In the end, Bruna rode with more power, her kite lower, and took the win.

From the PKRA press release: "Before the Cabarete stop formally drew to a close, heat #20 of the women's double final between Bruna Kajiya (Best, Brazil) and Gisela Pulido (Slingshot, Spain) was run after a long wait for the wind. Kajiya emerged the victor, stomping some technical moves with extra power added, including a blind judge, non-inverted slim chance, 313, blind judge with aerial handle pass and s-bend to blind with airpass. Pulido on the other hand, landed a slim, 313 and front mobe. Kajiya's lower kite angles coupled with speed and greater elevation in her moves were the deciding factors of the game.

Alvaro screwing a handle on for the Board Off competition

In addition to the Freestyle Discipline (the event that "counts" as far as points and overall ranking), there is also a "second" discipline, generally held on the last day, once the main event is complete. It's a little more fun, and a lot less serious. In Italy, for example, it was a slider competition. Here, in Cabarete, it was a Board-Off competition, which ... lucky for us ... has always been one of Alvaro's specialties. In addition to being so "technically" good at it, he brings a style and sense-of-humour to it that's all his own, and he's just really fun (and funny) to watch. Most people get a little nervous before their heats, but in this one, Alvaro couldn't WAIT to get on the water. "I want to go RIGHT NOW!!" he kept saying, as we were sitting there on the beach, waiting through the heats.

According to the PKRA press release: "The competition had a slow start because of light winds so the riders had time to warm up, performing some nice old school tricks that delighted the cheering crowd. Having practiced in the men's final yesterday (right click www.bestkiteboarding.com/PKRA5 and open in new window, for more on that) Onieva was on fire, winning with a high triple front roll board off."

Alvaro, it turns out, is not the only old-school specialist on the team. From the PKRA press release: "In the women's board off contest, Susi Mai (Cabrinha, Germany) put on an awesome show landing a double front roll board off, finishing in 1st place while Kajiya did a front roll board off, securing second place.

A great big thanks to Laurel Eastman and LEK for so graciously lending us a grab handle for our little pink 121 Drive. Old-School Afficionados take note: due to it's size and lightness, the 121 Drive is a PERFECT board choice for performing award-winning board-off manoeuvres.

Making benefit for the glorious sport of kiteboarding, it was nice to see not just one but two American riders at the tour stop ... 99 44/100% pure Ivory Soap Boy Rocky Chatwell and Brad Pitt Stand-In Billy Parker. Go, USandA ... it's about time!

That night, Laurel and I were tired from closing down the Blue Bar all week (despite the absence of Ian Huschle), so we sent Alvaro off into town to celebrate with his friends, and then retired to the couch with a bottle of wine. After drinking its contents, plus the start of a second, we thought it would be funny to give the returning Alvaro a Hero's Welcome, and piled all of his winnings onto his bed ... a Best flag, his winner's check, his three big wooden trophies ... and dragged the scary little statue in from the hallway (dressed in Best gear) to stand guard.

Scary Little Statue avec Victory Welcome Bed

I was a little worried that he'd come stumbling home, not bother to turn on the lights, crash into the statue, and impale himself on his trophies, so I slept with my door open, just in case I needed to take him to the emergency room in the middle of the night. But he was fine, and in the morning, when I asked him how he liked his victory bed, he said, "It was nice! Except for that man was really scary ..."

So, all in all, it was a great event for the Best team, and I just hope they were able to get on the plane with all that extra trophy-weight.

CONGRATULATIONS, Bruna and Alvarito ... in the words of Laurel Eastman, you guys are kiteboarding "CHAMPIGNONS"!!

For the complete PKRA archive, including the Chiche Chronicles, visit the PKRA Page.